March 31, 2021Celebrate, Create, Inspiration, Learn

New Color Combinations, an Updated Color Wheel, and TWO downloadable Watercolor Guides!

Close To My Heartcolor, color wheel, colour, Colour Wheel, Love of Color, love of colour, Sundance, watercolor, watercolour 9 Comments

Love of Color #closetomyheart #ctmh #loveofcolor #ctmhcolorwheel #loveofcolour #ctmhcolourwheel #colorwheel #colourwheel #watercolor #watercolour

It’s no secret that we love color at Close To My Heart. Color breathes life and feeling into the world around us. With an unspoken language all its own, color has the power to calm, to energize, and to inspire. As spring slowly creeps its way into this year, the world is brightening up its color palette bringing with it a rejuvenation we all could use right about now—and we are all for it!

We are starting today’s color celebration with our Love of Color how-to series. Through its pages, the exclusive Close To My Heart color palette, made up of 44 unique colors, comes to life. Breathtaking artwork illustrates how to create perfectly balanced color combinations without any guesswork. Each spread in these volumes starts out with one exclusive color that is then combined with two, three, and four other exclusive colors, shown in beautifully crafted inspirational artwork.

Since we hope for sunny days in the upcoming season, let’s take a closer look at the color combinations offered for Sundance, one of our newer colors, in Love of Color Vol. 2, pages 26 and 27.

In this example, Sundance was paired with Avocado and Glacier. Sundance is the dominant color, and the others were used to complement it and to create accents throughout. (White is a neutral and doesn’t really count, so feel free to include as much or as little as you’d like!)

This perfectly spring-themed card was created by following another color combination featured in the guide, combining Sundance with Cinnamon, Blue Belle, New England Ivy, and Charcoal.

The third color mashup for Sundance in our Love of Color Vol. 2 includes pairing it with Peach, Desert Rose, and Peacock.

These inspirational color guides really make it so simple to combine colors that some of us probably wouldn’t even consider. Its pages explore the unique qualities of each color and help you see their beauty and versatility.

We’ve also talked about color theory on this blog, before. If you’re interested in creating your own color combinations, we encourage you to revisit those posts for a quick refresher on techniques for pairing colors. (Find links below.) Once you’ve got those basic rules down, we also encourage you to break them as you see fit!

Monochromatic and Analogous Colors

Complementary Colors and How to Use Them

Using Split-complementary Colors

Triadic Color Combinations

Double Complementary Color Schemes

To continue this colorful celebration, we’ve updated our Close To My Heart color wheel by removing the colors that retired from our palette just a few short months ago and adding the new colors that were introduced.

Download the updated Close To My Heart color wheel, here.

***Keep in mind that our exclusive colors are made up of much more complex tones, shades, and hues than how they are categorized on the simplified color wheel offered above. As you reference and use this source, know that it is not 100% confining. Especially as you become more familiar with what makes colors work together visually, you’ll find that this color wheel is very flexible.***

Lastly, we have a couple of bonus downloads for you today! Working with our amazing art studio, we put together two watercolor guides featuring techniques, tips, and all-around useful information—one for watercolor paints and another for watercolor pencils. In these guides you will find how to blend our exclusive colors using watercolor paints, the variety of ways a watercolor pencil can be used, and so much more! Enjoy exploring these watercolor guides, below!

Watercolor Paints Guide

Watercolor Pencils Guide

(Watercolour Paints Guide for AU/NZ)

(Watercolour Pencils Guide for AU/NZ)

Leave a comment

February 25, 2020Create, Learn

Color Combinations with an Updated CTMH Color Wheel!

Close To My HeartCelebrate Today, color combination, color theory, color wheel, colour combination, colour theory, Colour Wheel, Love of Color, love of colour, Oh My Heart, wheel 3 Comments

As we kick off March, our color and design ideas naturally shift from Valentine pinks and reds to springy greens and yellows. If you purchased our Oh My Heart suite earlier this year, you may find yourself with leftover papers covered in lovey-dovey hues and themes. With the help of our zip strips and our newly updated Close To My Heart color wheel (find it below!), let’s explore a few ideas of how to use up those pink papers outside of Valentine’s day.

Oh My Heart Paper Packet

Have you noticed that each of our pattern papers come with an additional ½” accent paper strip along the top? On one side we provide a bonus design that coordinates effortlessly with the rest of the paper collection and on the other side there’s a bunch of fine print that most people ignore and tend not to read. 😉

On the informational side of these zip strips you will find the name of the collection along with a list of the featured colors from our exclusive palette that were used in the designs of that collection. As you can see from above, the Oh My Heart pattern papers (and stickers) are designed with Ballerina, Candy Apple, Glacier, Lemonade, Pixie, Raspberry, Smoothie, and White Daisy.

If you struggle with creating color combinations, a zip strip is a great place to start, especially if you’re looking to combine papers from different collections.

For example, the cards below were created using four patterns from the Oh My Heart paper packet. These were paired with the Celebrate Today paper packet + sticker sheet and the new Mix-in paper packet (which is specifically designed to coordinate seamlessly with other paper collections).

Comparing the zip strips of all three paper packets, you can see that they have several colors in common.

Ballerina, Lemonade, and White Daisy can be found in all three paper suites. Oh My Heart and Celebrate Today also share Pixie and Raspberry, and, as designed, Celebrate Today and the Mix-in papers have several other colors in common (Black, Evergreen, Lagoon, and Nectarine).

When you look at the zip strips on your papers, you will find color combinations that have already been created for you! All you have to do is pull a pattern paper from one collection and combine it with the pattern paper from another featuring matching colors, as listed on the zip strip.

When you cross collections, you can easily change themes like love and Valentine’s day to something completely different.

For more color combination ideas, flip through the pages of our Love of Color book. It contains hundreds of artwork examples illustrating how to create perfectly balanced color combinations using the colors in our exclusive palette. This beautiful guide is organized by color, each shown in combinations of three, four, and five colors.

We’ve also talked about color theory before, on this blog. If you’re interested in creating your own color combination, we encourage you to revisit those posts for a quick refresher on techniques for pairing colors. (Find links below.) Once you’ve got those basic rules down, we also encourage you to break them as you see fit!

To help you on this colorful journey we all find ourselves on, we’ve updated our Close To My Heart color wheel by removing the colors that retired from our palette just a few short months ago and adding the new colors that were introduced.

Download the updated Close To My Heart color wheel, here.
(Here for Australia/New Zealand.)

Monochromatic and Analogous Colors

Complementary Colors and How to Use Them

Using Split-complementary Colors

Triadic Color Combinations

Double Complementary Color Schemes

Recipes:

4¼” x 5½” Happy Birthday Card (Vertical)
D1887 My Acrylix^® Strokes of an Artist Stamp Set, C1819 My Acrylix^® Celebrate Today—Cardmaking Stamp Set, CC12011 Oh My Heart Paper Packet, X7252S Celebrate Today Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X9011 Mix-in Paper Packet, X5968 Lagoon Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2843 Canary Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2812 Raspberry Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4235 Gold Loose Sequins, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

4¼” x 5½” Cheers Card (Horizontal)
D1903 My Acrylix^® Celebrate Today—Scrapbooking Stamp Set, C1819 My Acrylix^® Celebrate Today—Cardmaking Stamp Set, C12011 Oh My Heart Paper Packet, X7252S Celebrate Today Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X9011 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6029 Julep Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2843 Canary Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6511 Julep Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z3547 Piercing Tool

4¼” x 5½” Hey You Card (Vertical)
D1907 My Acrylix^® Shared Happiness Stamp Set, D1887 My Acrylix^®Strokes of an Artist Stamp Set, CC12011 Oh My Heart Paper Packet, X7252S Celebrate Today Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X9011 Mix-in Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6501 Ballerina Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2895 Lagoon Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4191 Silver Glitter Gems, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

12″ x 12″ Hello Summer Page
CC12011 Oh My Heart Paper Packet, X7252S Celebrate Today Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X6047 Black Cardstock, X6040 Clover Cardstock, X6029 Julep Cardstock, X5974 Raspberry Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z3314 Black & White Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape, Cricut^® You Are Here Collection, Cricut^® Basic Shapes, Sewing Machine

Cricut^® Shapes:
You Are Here Collection
#M282C782
#M282CCBC

Basic Shapes
#M369879

Leave a comment

April 17, 2018Create, Learn

Color Theory: Triadic Color Combinations

Close To My Heartcolor, color scheme, color theory, color wheel, Stargazer, Triadic 10 Comments

A triadic color scheme is a lot easier to understand than it may sound. Just like some of the other theories we’ve previously discussed on the blog, triadic color combinations make use of three colors. This time, instead of being next to or opposite each other, triadic colors are three colors that are equally spaced around the color wheel.

If you aren’t sure if the colors you are choosing to work with are equally spaced, connect the three of them with a line—simply tracing them with your finger will do. If the shape you outline is a triangle with sides of equal length, then your colors are triadic.

To make it even easier, there are only four triadic color combinations on your basic color wheel:

Red, Yellow, Blue
Red-orange, Yellow-green, Blue-violet
Orange, Green, Violet
Yellow-orange, Blue-green, Red-violet.

Once you’ve chosen one of these combinations, jump on the Close To My Heart color wheel and pick from the exclusive colors that fall into each category.

(Download here.)

Another way to use this would be to start with a color you know you want to use, like Sapphire, and then draw a triangle to determine which other two colors to combine with it. Sapphire is in the blue zone, and we know from drawing a triangle (and from the list above) that yellow and red complete the color triad.

This layout makes use of the red, yellow, blue combination using Cranberry, Canary, and Sapphire. We used Sapphire heavily, as the main color, with Cranberry and Canary acting as accents.

While triadic color combinations do not achieve the same level of contrast as complementary colors, they do provide color variety that tends to look more balanced—making it a favorite among artists who love playing with color. Try out a triadic combination on your next project and let us know how it goes!

Recipe

12″ x 12″ Alphabet Page
Z4157 Stargazer Cardmaking Stamp + Thin Cuts, D1757 My Acrylix^® Stargazer—Scrapbooking Stamp Set, X7229B Stargazer Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5982 Canary Cardstock, X5975 Cranberry Cardstock, X5955 Pebble Cardstock, X5957 Sapphire Cardstock, Z2816 Cranberry Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2832 Pewter Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2833 Pebble Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7229C Stargazer Complements, Z4143 Stargazer Dots, Z4145 Light Grey Ribbon, Z3630 Watercolor Pencils, Z4575 Black LePen™, Z1297 Edge Distresser, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Cricut^® Artistry Collection, Sewing Machine

Cricut^® Shapes:
Artistry
font

Leave a comment

March 15, 2018Create, Learn

Color Theory: Using Split-Complementary Colors

Close To My Heartcolor combination, color scheme, color theory, color wheel, complementary, coordination, split-complementary 13 Comments

The first time we talked color on the blog, back in January, we reviewed complementary color schemes and how to use them. We defined complementary colors as two colors opposite the color wheel, such as Cranberry and Willow (red and green), and Goldrush and Pacifica (orange and blue).

Today we want to expand on this scheme. Split complementary colors are pretty much what the name implies. You take two colors opposite each other on the color wheel, like red and green, and split one of them into its two adjacent colors on the wheel.

Take for example red-orange and blue-green. They are opposite each other on the color wheel and therefore complementary. To add a third color using the split complementary scheme, split red-orange into two and use red and orange with the blue-green instead.

How does that translate into our exclusive colors? Take a look:

This card was made using Pomegranate (red), Goldrush (orange), and Lagoon (blue-green) patterned papers and cardstock.

As you know, our exclusive color palette is made up of more hues than the 12 basic colors you see in a color wheel. You can easily add a fourth (maybe dare a fifth and sixth!) color and still be in a split complementary scheme. If you look back at the card, we also incorporated Glacier cardstock, which works well since it also fits into the blue-green family.

In the page above, we used Canary (yellow). Since Canary fits into the yellow category, its complementary color would be violet. Instead of going with the complementary color, we split the complementary and went with hues that fell to either side: Pansy (blue-violet), and Bashful and Pixie (both in the red-violet). Adding different hues in the same color is an easy way to enhance an already winning color combination. Our two-toned cardstock, makes it especially easy to get more variety of the same color when you use both sides.

In case you’re wondering how to classify our exclusive colors in the range of blue-green or red-violet, use this color wheel to simplify your color selection process:

Download color wheel here.

Are you enjoying learning about color? Let us know what you think and what you want to know in the comments below!

Recipes

4¼” x 5½” You Make My Heart Happy Card (Horizontal)
Make It from Your Heart Vol. 1: Pattern 22
A1192 My Acrylix^® Happy Heart Stamp Set, Z3351 Adventure Fundamental Paper Packet, Z3352 Enchantment Fundamental Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5978 Glacier Cardstock, Z2826 Heather Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2854 Pomegranate Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3189 White & Gold Ribbon, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Sewing Machine

12″ x 12″ Shine Page
Make It from Your Heart Vol. 1: Pattern 18
D1757 My Acrylix^® Stargazer—Scrapbooking Stamp Set, X7230B Chelsea Gardens Paper Packet, Z3350 Whimsy Fundamental Paper Packet, X7227B Make Waves Paper Packet, X7229B Stargazer Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5984 Pixie Cardstock, Z2844 Pixie Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2843 Canary Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7227C Make Waves Complements, X7229C Stargazer Complements, Z4142 Make Waves Sequins & Gems, Z1297 Edge Distresser, Z4575 Black LePen™, Sewing Machine

Leave a comment

February 20, 2018Create, Learn

Color Theory: Monochromatic and Analogous Colors

Close To My Heartanalogous, bashful, Blossom, color scheme, color theory, color wheel, monochromatic, Pixie, Pretty in Pink, Raspberry 17 Comments

A lot of us know, or at least think we know, what a monochromatic color scheme is. Monochromatic color designs make use of a single color that varies in lightness and saturation. This type of color “combination,” if you will, is easy to achieve with some of our favorite Close To My Heart products. Take our two-toned Bashful cardstock, for example. We have Bashful on one side and light Bashful on the other. Because they are two tones of the same color, when used together they are considered monochromatic. Second generation stamping, where you stamp an image a second time without applying more ink to get a lighter image, is another way to play with monochromatic colors in your art.

Color Theory #ctmh #closetomyheart #monochromatic #analogous #color #colour #wheel #bashful #pixie #blossom #raspberry #combination #coordinating #coordinate #coordination #theory #pink #shades #variant #variation #pretty #prettyinpink #girl #girly #family #ombre #home #love #share

Sometimes, a piece of artwork that we may think is monochromatic is actually following an analogous scheme, which is just a fancy way of saying that the featured colors are next to each other on the color wheel. One color is typically dominant while neighboring colors are used to enhance the design. In our example layout above, we make use of both monochromatic and analogous colors.

If we visit our CTMH color wheel, you can see that the four colors we used throughout our layout, Bashful, Pixie, Blossom, and Raspberry, are all adjacent to each other. This layout would’ve worked in much the same way with Sapphire, Pacifica, Crystal Blue, and Peacock.

The ideas that we discuss in this series of posts are what really matter—not the technical names or scientific reasons why they all work. The end goal is to know how to, time and time again, choose colors that will work well together as you create beautiful art worthy of preserving your memories.

So, here’s what you need from this post for your color scheme toolbox: when you’re choosing colors for your artwork, start at the color wheel. Pick a dominant color and then look at the colors around it. Make use of these colors with your papers, inks, Complements, and accessories and you can’t go wrong! 🙂

For more color combination ideas revisit last month’s color theory post:
Complementary Colors and How to Use Them

Recipe:

12″ x 12″ What I Love About My Home Layout
C1709 My Acrylix^® Chelsea Gardens—Cardmaking Stamp Set, D1728 My Acrylix^® What Matters Most Stamp Set, B1572 My Acrylix^® Banner Love Stamp Set, A1182 My Acrylix^® Etched Alphabet Stamp Set, D1733 My Acrylix^®Splash of Color Stamp Set, Z3350 Whimsy Fundamental Paper Packet, Z3351 Adventure Fundamental Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5941 Bashful Cardstock, X5984 Pixie Cardstock, X5973 Blossom Cardstock, X5974 Raspberry Cardstock, Z3360 Bashful Glitter Paper, Z3238 Gold Glitter Paper, Z2819 Bashful Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2844 Pixie Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2810 Blossom Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2812 Raspberry Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z891 VersaMark™ Ink Pad, Z3388 Picture My Life™ Cards—The Story Begins (Baby Girl), X7227C Make Waves Complements, Z3369 Bashful Pearls, Z3381 Heart Clips, Z2066 Princess Gold Embossing Powder, Z4252 Heat Tool (US/CA only)

Leave a comment

Make It from Your Heart

Tag Archives: color wheel

New Color Combinations, an Updated Color Wheel, and TWO downloadable Watercolor Guides!

Color Combinations with an Updated CTMH Color Wheel!

Color Theory: Triadic Color Combinations

Like this:

Color Theory: Using Split-Complementary Colors

Like this:

Color Theory: Monochromatic and Analogous Colors

Like this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: